s Syd looked through the smoke he could see the
French officer and his men running back to the boat.

"Strake, you shouldn't have fired," he cried, excitedly.

"You give orders," growled the boatswain; "and there was no time to
haim. Shot went skipping out to sea.--Be smart, my lads," he continued,
as the men who had sprung to their places wielded sponge and rammer, and
this time ran the gun out so that its muzzle showed over the rough
parapet.

By this time Syd had made a sign, and Rogers quickly ran the colours up
the flagstaff, where they were blown out fully by the breeze.

"Don't find fault," whispered Roylance, wiping the tears from his eyes.
"What a game! See that little French officer fall down?"

"No."

"He caught his foot in a stone. Look at them now."

Syd looked down at where on the pier the French officers were
gesticulating and talking loudly; the gist of their debate being, should
they try to take the battery or put off, and the majority seemed to be
in favour of the latter proceeding. For as they eagerly scanned the
little battery they could see now the frowning muzzle of the gun, and
the heads of a number of English sailors apparently ready to fire again,
this time probably with better effect.

One officer seemed to be for coming on. The other thought evidently
that discretion was the better part of valour, for he looked up at the
colours on the flagstaff, then down at the battery, and then finally
gave orders to the men to re-embark. But this was too much for the
spirit of the other, who after a few sharp words took out a white
handkerchief, tied it to the blade of his sword, and held it up,
advancing with it in his hand till he was just below the gun, and at the
foot of the cliff wall.

"Messieurs," he said, politely, "I speak not ze Angleesh as you do. I
you make me understand?"

"_Oui_--yes," said Syd, who had again mounted the rough wall.

"It is good," said the French officer. "You make fire upon us. Yes?"

"Yes; we fired."

"You--you teach me yourself, vat ze diable you make here?"

"We hold this place as a possession of the King of England," replied
Sydney. "Can you understand?"

"_Parfaitement_, sare. Zen I tell you I go back to my sheep, and me
come and blow you all avay. _Au revoir_!"

"_Au revoir_, Monsieur," said Syd, exchanging bows with the French
officer, who went back to the boat, sprang on board, the men pushed off,
and the little garrison gave them a ch